I'm Keeping You Safe
by LoveOTH1000
Summary: Friends for all their lives, Nathan and Haley are about to discover that the choices you make in life can endanger the lives others. With the future set will a choice that Nathan makes end up hurting Haley beyond help with no way to make it right?
1. I'm Keeping You Safe

I'm back!! So I know that I had another story but I just didn't feel like it was good so I'm writing a different one that I think is better so bear with me and hopefully you will be just as responsive with this story as you were with my first.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my own characters.

**I'm Keeping You Safe**

Here we go again, I thought. It was just like them to be just graduated and already be in trouble. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised this wasn't the first time this has happened.

I shook my head at their stupidness. Stealing Dad's car to go for a beer run for celebrating reasons I get, but stealing a school bus? Come on! How is that even possible?

They stood there with their heads down and their shoulders slumped as my mom slapped them all upside their heads, but you could still see the hint of a cocky grin creeping up on all their faces. I swear the things that these boys can come up are unbelievable and how they still don't get arrested amazes me. I mean they stole a bus and all they got in return is a slap upside the head and a "firm" talking to. Granted the slap was probably the hardest they will ever feel, I think they still should have gotten some jail time. I can't even hang out with my friends after midnight without getting grounded for a month.

But I guess that's what I get for being the youngest of four and being the only girl. You get great protection form the hardships of the world but with that comes the protection from every cute boy there is out there. Did you know that I'm 18 and have only been out with 1 boy? 1, that's it and it had to be pre-approved by the pact as they had become known as.

I guess I should explain a little bit more. My name is Haley James and I am the youngest of four and I have three older brothers. There is the first set of twins James and Brian both 21 and new graduates from NYU. James with dark brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes that screamed hot Italian guy and that every girl fawned over. Brian with his pitch black hair and electric green eyes that he got from our dad and the body that anyone would kill for. Then there are me and my other brother Lucas. The second set of twins for my mom and dad. He will never let me forget that he is 2 minutes and 17 seconds older then me. It makes me so angry!! Argh, all the time.

Anyway Lucas with his lighter brown hair and sweet honey brown eyes that any girl would completely melt over the second they came in contact with him. He was everybody's sweetheart and he could never do wrong. He was usually the one that got the other two out of trouble. No one could resist that smile. It was like honey, warm and irresistible.

Finally there was me. Plain old Haley James. There wasn't much to say about me that is utterly fantastic. I have soft honey colored brown hair and dull brown eyes that for some reason my mom always praises me for. Whatever, I don't see anything special. Anyway I have a petite build and have normal 18 year old girl features. Not that much about me is that worth mentioning.

I looked back as the boys made their walk of semi-shame towards the bar.

Did I mention that I worked in my dads bar? No, well I do it's called "The Set Back" cause anything on the menu, bar or food, will set you back at least a day in recovery.

Weird isn't it that an 18 year old girl would be working in a bar serving hardcore mob guys, but that's my life. Working in the family business. It isn't all that bad. I get to spend everyday with my parents and brothers. Sometimes Aunts and Uncles but it's not bad, and being "cute" as everybody says I am does not do badly for the tips.

Anyway, the boys approached the bar and they all took a seat in front of me.

"I can't even look at you without wanting to punch you and wanting to burst out laughing until I die at the same time" I said

"We know, we made a mistake, but let me tell you it was totally worth it almost seeing the vein in dads neck explode. Ha ha." James replied looking as if he had just completed the master plan.

"God, I know that was the craziest shit we have ever done and I have to say the look on moms face when you told her that she looked beautiful with her face all red was priceless." Brian added while grinning like his face would never go back to normal and he would be stuck like that forever.

"Man and when Nathan sweet talked that cop lady into not arresting us when that's totally where we were headed." Lucas looked down and shook his head in admiration for the friend that had been with us since the beginning.

My head suddenly snapped up and I turned it to the end of the line looking towards the last guy who so happened to be my best friend." Wait a second, you were part of this?" I said incredulously.

He slowly raised his head and smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Ya. It's not like I had a choice. It was either go with them or forever by subjected to a life of constant teasing about the fact that I didn't have the balls to get on that bus."

I looked directly into his eyes and couldn't help but get lost in them. It was no secret that I liked Nathan. Everybody knew that I liked him except him. I have always liked him and everyday he got more and more handsome. He had jet black hair and piercing electric blue eyes that could penetrate the soul of anybody daring enough to look in them and try to figure him out. He had the body of an Adonis and he was the love of my life.

I exhaled heavily, looking away. He would never see me the way I wanted him to. I would always be the baby. The one that needed to be protected instead of loved. Too many times I had told Nathan that I loved him and all I got was a hair ruffle and an I love ya too kid. Kid. That was my least favorite word in the English language. I would never be anything more. I would forever be subjected to seeing him go from one girl to the next in the hope that he would finally see my love for what it was, real.

But that's neither here nor there; I had some scolding of my own to do. He was going to Duke in the fall and he didn't need to mess that up by being an idiot and stealing a school bus the day of our high school graduation.

"You always have a choice Nathan and choosing to steal a school bus was not the right one. What if you hadn't been able to "sweet talk" that cop? Huh? What then? How were you going to explain to Duke that the reason you were sent to jail was because you couldn't say no to a bunch of idiots?" I exclaimed throwing my hands in the air and smacking him in the shoulder with my rag.

"Jeez Hales leave the guy alone, he is a grown man that can make up his own decisions. Not everyone has a stick up their asses and is miss goody too shoes all the damn time." James decided to come to Nathan's defense.

"You know what James you can just mind your own business because unlike you who has already graduated from college Nathan still has to get there. So excuse me for actually caring for him and his future. Not everyone wants no end up back in this bar picking up the family business after there father" I was fuming at this point and all the guys were staring at me with shocked looks on their faces. I couldn't take their stares anymore, so I threw my rag harshly onto the counter and stormed out of the bar and up the stairs to the roof.

Everyone was silent for a moment until Nathan finally spoke,"I'm going to go see if I can find out what's bothering her."

Lucas answered, "Good luck, I've never seen her like that before. I can't believe she said that about you guys." Nathan nodded and headed in the path that I had just taken.

"She's probably just PMSing or something like that. After Nathan talks to her I'm sure she will fine and her usual perky self, ready so celebrate her graduation." Brian offered his excuse for my behavior getting nods from both James and Lucas in agreement.

_On the roof_

I was sitting on the ground with my legs hanging over the edge of the roof looking out at the town I had grown up in when I heard the door to roof shut loudly. I didn't have to look up to know who had come to see me. I knew his footsteps and the sound of his breathing and what he smelled like. Creepy right? I couldn't help it I loved him and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Not that I wanted to.

I felt him sit next to me and pull my left hand from my lap and intertwine my fingers with his.

"You want to tell me what that was all about?"

I turned my head to the left looking at him for a moment before staring back at the rooftops.

"I don't really know. I guess it's just that you have everything going for you and it would be stupid for you to loose it all on account of my brothers and their stupid schemes." I sighed, he would never understand that if my brothers cost him any part of his future that I would feel personally responsible for his failure.

He pulled my eyes towards his face by my chin and said softly,"Hey I would never blame you if something happened to me or my future. It would be my fault if anything went wrong. It would be on me because I couldn't say no when it really counted."

He always knew what I was thinking and that killed me. I couldn't keep staring at him with him continually staring at me with that strong of a compassionate look in his eyes. I leaned my head on his shoulder and stared back at the sky.

"I know but I would still feel as if I hadn't done enough to help you, to guide you in the right direction instead of failing you and letting your dreams slip away."

He sighed and placed his head on top of mine and kissed the top of my head lightly. "That's why you're my best friend Hales. You care about me more than anyone ever could."

Friend that was my other least favorite word and it always caused the hole in my heart to get a little bit bigger. I would always be his best friend. I would watch him grow up and fall in love with someone else and start a life with them and I would still only be the friend.

I don't think that I could handle this for much longer. I think that for the sake of my heart I needed to distance myself a little from Nathan. Maybe find someone out there who hadn't known me my whole life and could love me for real.

Little did I know that that was going to be pretty hard. Our lives were about to be so fiercely intertwined that you wouldn't know where one ended and where the other began. I was about to become the healer and saver while Nathan was about to become my most powerful protector.

So what did you think? Was it ok for my first chapter?

Please Review =-) Caitlin


	2. I Love You It's Just Not Enough

Ok here is chapter 2. Enjoy.

Disclaimer- I don't own anything unfortunately.

**I Love You It's Just Not Enough**

After the whole fiasco at the bar everything went on without a hitch. Nathan brought me back downstairs and I just went about my business. I wasn't going to apologize for anything that I said. Truth was there is nothing that my brothers or Nathan could have said that would have made this better.

They were wrong and they knew it. The fact that they felt no remorse and were actually giddy about it pissed my off like you wouldn't believe. They just didn't get it. They never would. But I guess that's just my heart talking again. It's always getting me into trouble telling me that I needed to do anything and everything to help Nathan. Of course my head was always there telling me that I wasn't his girlfriend and I would always be his friend and needed to do what friends did.

But what did my head know?

Anyway, we went downstairs and rejoined the party that was now in full swing. The alcohol was moving freely inside and outside the buzzed people. My mom was talking animatedly with Nathans mom and my dad was in the back playing pool with my brothers. I felt Nathan squeeze my arm and It didn't take a genius to figure out that he wanted to go. I looked up to see him staring at me with a questioning face. I couldn't tell if he was asking me if he could go or if he was questioning himself on whether or not he should leave me.

I pulled my arm from his grasp and pushed his body towards the back of the bar. "Go. Have fun with the guys. I'm fine you've done your job." I said.

"You sure? Cause I can stay with you." He replied

"No, go celebrate with your friends." I pushed harder.

"Are you really sure, cause I'll be fine just hanging out with you" He insisted.

I looked up at him again wondering why he was hesitating so much. Usually he wouldn't have taken an extra second before going to hang with the guys. This time though I could see his eyes scan the length of bar before zoning in on a guy I had never seen before. He was cute. Really cute.

Wait, what was I saying? Did I really just think that this guy was cute? Wow, I moved fast but if this guy was going to get me over Nathan then by all means bring him on.

I could feel Nathan tense behind me as the guy turned in his chair to look around the room. My gaze moved back to Nathan and he was now staring so intently at me that I couldn't help but blush.

"Is something wrong Nathan?" I asked seriously starting to freak out at how intently he was staring at me.

He finally snapped out of his self-inflicted trance. "Everything's fine just thinking about some stuff."

I laughed at his somewhat denseness and replied, "Well while you think about that I'm going back to work. Those beers and fries aren't going to serve themselves."

He laughed half-heartedly and raised his hand to scratch the back of his neck, something I had come to recognize as part of his nervous behavior. "Ya, I'm gonna go talk to your brothers." Nodding my head I turned around and started walking. I stopped however when Nathan called my name. I turned again and waited for him to speak again. "Just be careful okay?"

I was confused by his warning but answered with another nod.

Finally I made it back to the bar and picked up my rag. I swear it never ceases to amaze me the amount of dirt that shows up after only like 15 minutes. I looked as if a tornado had come through here and dropped hundreds of little plates and mini hot dogs all along the length of the bar.

Great I thought, just another thing to clean. First things first though, I had customers to attend to. I approached the guy from before and was startled by the aqua colored blue eyes that met mine in a stare that could have lasted for hours for all I knew.

My heart started pounding and I stuttered out my opening welcome. "W-welcome t-to The Set Back what can I do to you? I mean what can I do for you, get you? I blushed at my own stupidity and let my head fall forward causing my hair to form a curtain of embarrassment around me.

I heard a musical laugh and looked further down at the floor. I could not believe this I would never be able to get my face back to its normal color. I would forever be red.

"You know, I think I'll just have whatever you have on tap if that's okay with you." The voice was soft and had a husky undertone to it that just made you forget about anything. I finally looked up and this time he was smiling and it was a kind and caring sort of smile that you couldn't help but love.

"I can do that. Would you like anything else? I moved downs towards the beer tap and poured him his drink. I put the drink and a coaster on the bar in from of him

"You can give me you name." He smiled at me again and I leaned against the back counter. I had a feeling that this was going to be a good conversation.

"I don't think that's on the menu. Try again." I liked flirting with this guy. Maybe he would be the one that got me over Nathan.

Speaking of which, I looked over at the boys and was greeted with the most dominating and possessively protecting stares that I was actually scared. Amazingly I was not scared for myself but for this guy. I had seen those stares before and they were the reason I had never had a date. They scared away any chance I had at a normal teenage girl's life.

"Okay so I'm going to tell you two things. One my name is Haley and two right now my brothers and my best friend are giving you the whole I'm a badass death stare. So, no, don't turn around just keep looking at me. Good, now just act like we are talking."

He laughed again,"We are talking and might I say this is a wonderful conversation."

I blushed again but replied," Ya well I am just trying to save you from the wrath that is the boys in my life. They feel like they have this need to protect me from every boy on the planet. Especially the cute ones." I can't believe I just said that.

But he surprised me when his smile increased tenfold. "You think I'm cute?" I nodded slightly. "Well I think you are cute too. My name is Justin by the way."

I lifted my hand out to him. "Very nice to meet you." He gripped my hand and I thought I felt these little electric shocks run the length of my arm.

I was just about to open my mouth to say something else when Lucas appeared to my left.

"Hey Hales. Who's this?" He questioned

I noticed his eyes were focused on not my eyes but on our still gripping hands. I quickly moved mine away and Justin just smiled keeping his hand stationary on the bar.

"Oh, this is Justin we were just talking."

"I can see that. What about?" He acted as if we done an unthinkable crime.

"What does it matter? We were just talking. Do you need me for something or did you come over here just to piss me off?" I spat.

"Actually I did come here for something, Brian wanted another beer and Nathan wanted to talk to you in the kitchen." He pointed to the direction of the kitchen and then looked back at me expecting to see me moving already.

"What? I can't just leave I have customers" I said gesturing to Justin. "I am still working."

He looked at me exasperatedly and then said, "Go I'll watch over your customer and then when you come back I will give dad his beer." He nudged me forward and I looked back quickly to see Justin staring back at me he winked and I blushed. He wasn't going anywhere.

I made my way into the kitchen and was suddenly yanked sideways. Nathan pulled me into the employee bathroom and locked the door behind him.

"What the hell are you doing?" He was yelling at me.

"What are you talking about?" I wasn't yelling..yet.

"I'm talking about how you are practically throwing yourself at that guy at the bar. Come on Haley could you have a little self-respect?"

Was he kidding? Did he seriously just say that to me? I couldn't answer, I didn't know how to. There was nothing I could think of that would even begin to comprehend what he was taking about.

"What?! You're yelling at me because I was talking to some guy? Seriously Nathan you should think about retracing your steps and rethinking your whole thought process. When you can talk to me like the person I know you are then we can talk, but until then mind your own business and don't interfere with stuff you know nothing about!" I was beyond yelling and I shoved Nathan out of the way and stormed out of the kitchen back into the bar.

If I had turned I would have seen Nathan with a completely baffled look on his face and a hurt expression in his eyes. I didn't care he had no right and now I was pissed he was going to have to beg for my forgiveness. It was one thing for my brothers to act like totally irrational idiots when it came to me and boys but Nathan had always been somewhat understanding. Guess I was wrong in thinking that this would be the same. If I didn't know any better I would think that it wasn't the fact that it was a boy but that that boy was Justin.

Whatever it was the distance that I wanted with Nathan had just started it grand start. The first Crack had been and it could only get worse from here.

So? What do you think? I know that it's shorter then the first one but I had to end it here.

Review please =-) caitlin


	3. 2 Trumps 6

**Hey guys! I know I haven't updated in like forever but ya know life is life. You got stuff to do and places to go and people to. Anyway, I actually had to read my first two chapters again to re-learn what exactly my story was about. Funny and sad I know but I got it back. So… here is chapter 3.**

And worse it got. Now I'm not talking about it got worse over a long period of time I'm talking about how it got worse over the course of tonight.

After talking, or yelling, at Nathan in the bathroom I stalked back outside to the bar. There I saw not just Lucas, but Brian, James, my dad, and Nathan's dad. All forming a line behind the bar and equally glaring at a thoroughly confused looking Justin.

To say that now I was beyond pissed would have been an understatement. I think I actually had to grip the side of the wall in order to stay upright, that's how mad I was. I saw Justin look the length of The Pack line from right to left and finally land on me.

He gave me this pleadingly frightened look and I was pulled forward into action. I had just met this guy and already he was being scared away. I was tired of this bullshit. Justin was cute and sweet as far as I could tell. I was 18 and an adult. I should be able to make my own decisions and my own mistakes, just as long as they were mine and mine alone.

I didn't need all of this protection, although they all thought I was still six years old and needed help from the bully that lived next door. How was I ever going to experience life if they wouldn't let me?

A thought crossed quickly across my head, 'I'm going to end up like old Ms. Jenson. The one that lived at the end of the street and always smelled like lint and handed out little bags of cat food at Halloween.' No. I was not going to continue to live like this.

This was my new life and it was going to start right now, with Justin. Just as soon as I can get the wolves away.

I made my way carefully to the bar and sandwiched my way in front of Brian holding a basket of wings that I jacked from the kitchen. I placed it in front of Justin, smiled like the good waitress that I am. Said, "Here ya go." Moved away gracefully to the beer tap, filled two new mugs and walked back to the stunned looking guys. I handed one beer to my dad and one to Brian.

Then I walked to the end of the bar and grabbed the broom. As I started sweeping I hit a rather large and long obstacle. Looking up I saw, as expected, the shoe of my brother  
Lucas. They hadn't moved an inch. Typical. To remain standing there with baffled looks on there faces.

They saw what happened. They understood what I did. I had blatantly ignored cute Justin and was my usual if not overly joyful self. Certainly not what they were expecting. I made an 'excuse me' gesture and waited for them to start moving but nothing happened. I sighed and hoped that this would go as easily as I had planned.

"Ugh guys could you maybe like move out from behind the bar? I have to sweep and then get back to the customers."

Again nothing happened. Finally my dad cleared his throat and pushed Dan, Nathan's dad, forward. This motion then pushed the boys forward and they all moved in an army line out from behind the bar and back to the pool tables.

On the outside I was keeping up the pretense that I was just sweeping and then going back to work, like I said I was. Inside, though, I was gearing up for part two of my genius plan.

Part two: Get mom and Deb, Nathan's mom, involved and on my side.

There may be 6 of them but with both moms approval I could trump all of their rejections.

I continued sweeping with the broom while making my own eye sweeps to see, if Justin was still here, if the boys were still watching, if my mom and Nathan's mom were still together, and if Nathan had come out of the kitchen.

All were good and I was doing a happy dance on the inside. This was all working. Now, to put my plan into action.

I finished sweeping and replaced the broom. I filled peoples orders and finally returned to Justin. He looked deflated and confused. I would hopefully get to turn that frown upside down really soon.

I noticed that the basket of wings was empty which gave me the perfect opener. Draping my rag over my shoulder I tilted the basket toward him and said, "All finished?" With a small head lift and a quick shake I removed the paper filling and bone scraps, throwing them out and placed the basket in a bus tub.

I glanced at his still full glass and asked, "Need a re-fill?" He looked up confused and I sent him a quick wink and small smile and moved on. I couldn't stay to long and make it look suspicious to my still looking boys.

I saw Justin's smile widen and I knew that he understood and that I was still interested.

Now, to engage part two. I scanned the bar and landed on my two favorite women. My mom was staring at me and I knew immediately that she caught my wink and hoped that the boys hadn't. I guess something close to a terrified look came over my face because my mom slightly shook her head and a relieved one soon took its place. Her eyes quickly darted between me and Justin and I could see her putting two and two together.

A small smile graced her features and I knew that I was quickly winning the mom war. I continued to service all the while keeping an eye on the moms as well as Justin who was having fun it seemed, watching me work. I worked extra hard not to blush at his attention and give myself away.

However, like always, I can't hide from my mom. I saw her grip Deb's arm, always partners in crime, and start moving towards me and the bar.

When they arrived I moved to stand closer to Justin so that I could subtly introduce them. But it seemed, like always, that my mother was one step ahead. She bypassed me completely and seated herself right next to him.

"Now, I have worked in this bar for a long time and I think I would have remembered such a cute boy." She said to Justin who looked down, then to me, then back to my mom with that charming smile.

"Hi, I'm Justin Sanford. I'm actually new here."

God! He could make any women swoon with that voice. My mom just smiled warmly and introduced herself like always.

"I'm Karen James, and this is Deb Scott. It looks like you already met Haley."

The conversation ran smoothly and before we knew it we were laughing as if we had known each other for years. Justin and I were flirting like crazy and I could tell that The Moms were totally on my side. Woo Hoo!!! Happy Dance all around.

"So, Justin, are you going to school around her or are you going out of state?"

My heart sunk a little. I hadn't even thought about whether or not he was going to be here for us to get to know each other more. Of course something like this would happen to me.

But he just keeps on getting better. "Actually I'm going to Caroline State for, like two years before I decide what I really want to do. I know that I want to work in the school system, I just haven't figured out where exactly."

Swooning. I am officially a pile of goo at this gods feet. Could he get any better?

My mom is quick to help me find out. "Really? Haley is hoping to teach elementary students. Maybe you two could get together and talk about what you're going to do in the future?"

Oh how I love my mother.

"Yeah that sounds great. It would be a lot of help too. Hopefully set me on the right path. How about it Haley?

It took me a few seconds to realize that he had just basically asked me out. I was so freakin' happy that nothing could tear me down.

"Sure," I replied, "That sounds cool. Why don't we trade numbers and we can figure out a day, place and time that we could meet to talk."

"Sounds great!" Oh that smile of his. Gets me every time.

I grabbed a napkin and two pens. I ripped the napkin in half and handed one off. I started writing my cell number down and when we were both finished, we swapped.

All hell broke loose after that.


End file.
